laundry fiasco in shades of blue

For those of you that followed my little drama yesterday on Twitter, you had to know there was a post in there begging to be written. Well here it is!

I was doing great yesterday. The day had gotten off to a pretty good start. I had done my WiiFit time and I felt pretty good about that. The other big thing on the agenda was laundry. (cue the ominous music) So I grabbed a stack of jeans and tossed them in the wash without a second thought. After all, I do this several times a week evvvvery single week. I've got this thing down.

I waited on the washer to finish and this is what I found! It is exactly what it looks like. Ink. Blue ink to be exact. A ballpoint pen exploded in my washer! I gathered up the BLUE jeans and put them in the dryer after giving them a quick once over.. after all, from the looks of the side of the drum there, it kinda stayed in one place. You may laugh out loud at me right now.. go ahead.. I'll wait! So! I had to figure out how to clean the drum. I checked and the ink was still very wet, which in my mind, at the time, seemed like a good thing. So I grabbed the rubbing alcohol and some paper towels and got to work.



I got most of it out, but it left a blue-ish stain on the drum. I worried that it would get on the clothes I washed in the future. But I put everything I could think of it on it and this is the best it got in there. I tried the alcohol, of course. And the Magic Eraser (which did nothing), Goof Off (which did nothing), and WD40 (which also did nothing). So I left it alone for a bit while I thought about my predicament.

By that time, dryer had gone off and I could take a look at my jeans. It was probably my lifesaver that they were still damp! Come to find out, wet jeans look exactly like blue ink. Who'dathunkit! So! I had two more messes on my hands. The jeans and the dryer drum. It had gotten on several spots on the jeans. And little bitty smears all over the dryer drum. So I first off set to work on the drum. I mainly used the alcohol and the Goof Off. Goof Off is sort of petroleum-y smelling. I don't even want to think about how many brain cells I lost with my head inside my dryer while I scrubbed at little spots of blue all over the drum. But I finally got the dryer to a passable state.

And then it was time to tackle the jeans. I hit them with everything in the world. I did online searches, I Twittered and I hit the ladies email at church and tried every single suggestion that came in. I did hairspray, alcohol, Goof Off and finally Dawn dishwashing liquid. Dawn was the last suggestion I got and it was the thing that got the last bits of blue out of the jeans. WHEW. It took me most of the day to get the jeans clean, but I was so thankful I was able to save them. It was worth all the blotting and the two ruined cloth diapers!

Somewhere along the line, I had to drop everything and run to Kroger. I hadn't picked up anything for Friday night or what we would need over the weekend. So I put everything I had been scrubbing down and just walked away. It was a nice break from the scrubbing and the smell of cleaners. I grabbed the few things I needed and came home and went about quickly unloading the groceries so I could get back to my laundry fiasco.

But the grocery bag handle broke. And pizza sauce and marinaded mushrooms splatted all over the place. So I had to get on my hands and knees and clean up THAT mess too. Thankfully the bag caught most of the glass and sauce etc. Not all. Most. So I got all of that cleaned up and by then it was lunchtime and I stopped long enough to sit down and eat some reheated leftovers.

That's when I saw this! You can barely see it on the picture, but it's pizza sauce splatted against the toe kick of the cabinets. So I got on my hands and knees AGAIN to clean up more sauce. Finally, that mess was completely done.

And all I had to contend with was the jeans. It took the better part of the day. I had not finished scrubbing jeans yet when it was time to pick up my daughter from school. When we got home, she immediately said WHAT HAPPENED HERE??? as we walked through the laundry room into the house. I washed a load of old towels in hot water and bleach and the drum came completely clean! I was shocked... but thrilled! Then I rewashed the jeans after I finally got them clean, and hung them to dry. When they had dried enough to see that they were indeed 'ok', I tossed them in the dryer. I hung them up around bedtime.

We ordered a pizza last night. I was too tired to care about anything by mealtime!

In the words of the famous anchorwoman, Rosanne RosannaDana "It's always something. If it's not one thing, it's another." By the end of the day, I was tired. T.I.R.E.D. But in the famous words of Scarlet O'Hara, "tomarrah is anuthu day".

And on a side note.. you know you're a blogger when you drop everything mid-mess and run for the camera. More than once.

WiiFit Friday update # 2

I feel like I don't have much to report this week. A bad quality about me is that I can be strong out of the gate and then kinda lose my mojo uummph not very far into things. I think that's what happened this week.

That and a snow day and a half and a regular schedule thrown out the window for a bit.

But here's my week. The good, the bad and the ugly. Mostly the bad, I'm sorry to say, this week.

Friday: I did 30 minutes.

Saturday: I did 30 minutes and I was proud of it! LOL I did not want to do it. It was cold and all I wanted to do was chill out on the couch under a blanket, but I did my time anyway and felt better afterwards.

Sunday through Wednesday: I didn't do it. I should have listened to myself on Saturday and made myself do it anyway. But I didn't. I hate that.

Thursday: I did it! Yay! I was going to be getting out with a friend yesterday but I had to wait on her to finish working out at the gym and I thought I'd feel really horrible about myself if I sat there on the couch and watched tv while I waited on her... so I got off my sitter and got after it. I was glad I did. I increased the time on hula hooping to the 6 minutes. Wow, I was ready for that time to be over! LOL I am learning how to use hula hooping correctly still. I tend to hula with my legs and while my legs need help too, I'm trying to concentrate on actually using my abs and I can tell the difference. It's kinda like one looong crunch. Well, sorta anyway. Definitely feel the tightening there if I'm working on keeping the focus there.

I'm still unlocking more things and trying to increase some times on things I already do. And like most of us I'm sure, I've found what works best for me as far as warming up and then getting started. And I'm trying to add things in that I'm not very good at or that hurt since that is a sign that I need to do it more! When I was out yesterday, we ended up at a sporting goods store and I saw some ankle and wrist weights, but I didn't buy them. I'm not ready for them yet. But it made me see how far I have go to to just be ready to add weights.

One thing about posting every week, is that it keeps me accountable. And without that, I would have stopped altogether already, I'm afraid. So thanks for the nudge, y'all! : ) Looking forward to the day when I need to buy weights. And that day will come if I stick with it!

To check out other's progress or join the fun, click here.

snow day of 09

So we ended up with a "snow" day... which basically turned out to be a thin layer of ice. It threatened yesterday and the school let out at noon because they seemed to be expecting it any minute. There was much rejoicing all the way home in the car. It fiiiinally hit late in the evening. So today is our 'full snow day'. Of course, here in Texas, ice or snow of any kind is a major freak out, run to Walmart and stock up EVENT. Except I didn't run to Walmart and now we're out of bread. So here we are on day two of our 'weather event'... which is more like day one since we were already snug as a bug in a rug last night when it all actually started. The temp has finally crept to 33* and with full sun, the ice is melting like rain from the trees and eaves. So basically... the event is over. The hubs stayed home and is doing a Chick-fil-a run for us as I type.

Yesterday I had planned on staying in, so I made the best of it and got a little sewing project done.

With a little bit of 'help'.

Action shot!

And watching it fall on the floor (and yes my dining room is a mess in the pics.. I had 'project stuff' scattered all over AND the table was a mess from homework and studying.. that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!)

Do you like my pin cushion? You'll never guess what it's made out of! OK.. I'll tell ya...wait for it..wait for it.... it's made from a two liter screw top lid! And scrap fabric, batting, glue, a sharp punch, some elastic and some ribbon. Can you figure out how to wear it? I'll give you a hint... my other rings are tiny in comparison..yes.. it's worn like a ring on my finger. So it's always at the ready. Can you say handy?

And these are the results! A finished curtain.. I hate looking at what I think of as window guts.. the blinds and icky stuff at the top of the window. And now it's hidden! Turned out cute.. of course the shape of it isn't rocket science or anything. It's an easy one, but it does the trick and it looks cute in Miss Boo's new room!
Looking forward to having Chick-fil-a after being trapped for 24 whole hours by the horrible ice storm of 09. Yeah right.

I've been tagged!

Rina at Into Still Waters has tagged me for a meme! It's 25 random things about me. It's always fun to meet new bloggy friends and get to know them a little better, so here goes!

**get ready.. to get sleepy**

1. I always buy groceries on Monday. As a matter of fact, I should be making out my grocery list right now. : )
   
2. 2. I love my Walmart. It's really nice.. for a Walmart.
   
3. I am terrible at video games...
4. ...but I love the Wii. Bowling is a blast.
5. I am not a fan of cold weather. I probably mentioned that in my 100 list but it's cold today so it bears repeating.
   
6. I dream of moving somewhere that it's warm all the time.
7. But I hate bugs and I'm sure locales like that are very buggy!
8. I have a sewing and a craft project in the works right now.
9. I don't read random books unless I want to read them. I have a few I would like to knock out this year.
10. One is The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
11. Another is The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee.. I am reading this one. But I'm only on chapter 5 and it is a slooooow read.
12. Vicki Courtney's 5 Conversations book
13. My goal for Bible reading this year is to complete the first 5 books of the Old Testament.
14. I like to travel.. no I like to BE THERE.. the getting there part, not so much.
15. I can be inflexible if I know I am in the right.
16. But I can see all sides in everyday issues so much it bugs my friends when they tell a story and want me to automatically see it 'their way'. LOL
17. I have 'mom hair'.. or 90's hair or something.. I am not into flat hair on me. I guess Beth Moore could be a hair heroine of mine since she's not afraid of the root lifter.
18. I bought THE $5 scarf because of Angie at Bring the Rain and BigMama, of course!
    
19. The scarf feels weird on me because I'm not a fashiony kinda girl. But it's cute and I do know how to tie one now.
20. I would like to learn to knit
21. and quilt.
22. I spent years wishing we could/would move to a 'bigger house'.
23. But God has brought me great peace and contentment in this little house.
24. I am a Food Network junkie and especially like to watch Alton Brown.
25. I am feeling led not to say what is tugging at my heart here at this last one so I will leave it blank. Is 24 enough?? I've gotta get crackin' on that grocery list anyway! : )
    

Thanks again, Rina for the tag. I am supposed to tag some people.. so if you're reading and would like to carry this forward, then TAG, you're IT! : )

WiiFit Friday update #1

I decided last week after reading Donna's post about doing the WiiFit, that I was going to give Fitness Friday at Wiifit Mommies a try. I have it at home. It is free and I can do it at anytime. So this is my update on just now my week went. I'm trying to do it for 30 minutes each day. (I'm working on not being bored at the end of 30 minutes.)

Friday - yes
Saturday- yes
Sunday - no.. by design a day of rest.
Monday - yes
Tuesday - no.. I was a news junkie that day.
Wednesday - yes
Thursday - no... I felt bad for most of the morning. Cramps will do that to ya. I should have done it later in the day, but never did. Grrrr.
Friday - the day is still young!

First off.. the eating... I am trying to eat less, basically. I'm not doing a certain plan. Just trying to watch what I eat and cut out a lot of the snacking. Thank you everyone for wishing me luck on that one!

Secondly.. the WiiFit itself... wow, am I outa shape! It's kinda depressing! We got our WF right when they came out and we all did it some and then it started collecting dust. So I had weights and skill levels from way back then. First of all, I had gained 7.5 pounds. Very sad. And there were things I could do 'back then' that I can't do now.. some things I can do poorly and other things, not at all. It's depressing to me that 'back in the day' I used to do crunches with a 20 lb weight sitting on my chest and now 'jack knifes' make me wanna throw up. But it just shows I am out of shape. It is a needed nudge to get going. I have opened up quite a few thing just by doing it this week. And have started adding reps to some of the things I do sorta well. So that's encouraging. I enjoy just about all the cardio work.. I like the hula hooping.. and have finally mastered going my backwards way. I seem to be much getter at going right then left. And I like the step. I am way uncoordinated, so there is no clapping for me. I am doing good to do it plain. LOL I do hope to add weights to this one though. I had an ah-ha moment and realized I could put the remote down for some of these things and free up my hands (for when weights enter the picture) Yeah.. I'm slow!

To check on others or join the fun, visit WiiFit Mommies.

breaking in a new Bible-a how to

My daughter and I went yesterday to purchase a new Bible for her. She had a pink Bible that just had the text and had been asking for something better. There is nothing more daunting than trying to decide exactly what kind to buy though. I studied what was out there and more than that, I prayed about it and finally decided on what to buy. There had been something within me that kept saying I 'ought to' get a hip, teen Bible for her. But I'm thankful I resisted that urge and found her a wonderful study Bible with lots of helps that will carry her into adulthood... especially since it doesn't have advice about boys and eye shadow amongst the pages.

When we got home, I got the privilege of showing her how to break in a new leather Bible. Someone told me this several years ago and I've used the technique on all my Bibles since. But I had not seen this info anywhere...until the other day I saw it in small print in the back of one of my old Bibles.. not the first place I would look for its care and keeping. And this new Bible has a website that I logged on to and it gave the exact same instructions. So I've gotten it verified in two places! LOL

Anyway.. here's what you do:

Hold the Bible with the spine on the table and the sides of the pages facing up. Begin by folding open the front and back covers and gently pressing them against the table while holding the rest of the pages up in middle still. Gather a few sheets from the beginning of the book and press them gently against the table near the binding (while holding the remainder of the pages 'up' still). Gather a few sheets from the end of the book and press them gently against the table at the binding (while holding the remainder of the pages 'up' still). Proceed gathering and flattening a few pages at a time from the beginning and the end until you have nothing left. The Bible should be folded open approximately in the Psalms when you are done.

Your new Bible is now broken in and ready to use. What this does is gently open the binding a little at a time rather than the first time you open it flat to Psalms or something and it cracks right down the center and ruins the binding the first time out of the gate. Like I said, I've used this technique on several leather Bibles and they've all held up well.

And now for a book marker tip... this is what I use. They last a pretty long time and I can position them at the exact spot I left off. I use them for all my reading. And they don't fall out! Very handy!

Breaking in my new Bible bindings works for me. For other tips and tricks, visit Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer.

a long time coming

Something happened Saturday night that was a long time coming. Something we had been waiting for. Sadly. (yes, get out your Kleenex for this one, ladies) It was one of those things that we didn't plan nor did we want to spring on her 'just to get it out in the open' when the time wasn't right. We just didn't know when the right time would present itself.

When Bub died, Boo had just turned 7 about two weeks earlier. She was very young. And the whole ordeal had taken it's toll on her, as well as us. We were so thankful that she was spared 'the death scene' in that he died in the night. And she has always been a good sleeper. so she didn't awaken in the night when the nurse arrived, or when he was taken from us. She awoke in the morning about 9am and came stumbling out of her bedroom in her usual manner. I hugged her and told her that Bub had gone to heaven in the night. She wanted to see his room. I guess when you're seven, you need a visual to set it in concrete. So I took her hand and we walked into his room and she looked at his bed. I had pulled up the covers so it wasn't so disheveled and looked more 'normal'. I pulled back the sheet and blanket. She looked and said ok. She cried, as was expected.

But then we had to decide some things pertaining to her. Just exactly how involved in everything were we prepared for her to be? That was a difficult question for us to answer. We talked to each other and to the minister who would perform the memorial. But most of all, I prayed about it. I had prayed about it before the moment 'to decide' came. And knew that she did not need to go see his body at the viewing or see the burial. So that's what we did. Everyone seemed supportive of our decision at the time. She stayed at home while we went to the family viewing time on Sunday. And then on the day of the memorial she went to a friend's house during the burial and then met back up with us for the memorial. I'm not saying this is the right choice for everyone out there. But it was the right choice for our girl at that time. He was in heaven and he was not hurting. Enough info!

But of course, that left her with some unanswered questions. Questions that only come with time. To be honest, I'm surprised she hasn't asked about these things sooner.

So Saturday night we were sitting in a booth at a restaurant after we placed an order when the conversation began. She related how a friend of hers went to a funeral and 'freaked out' at the things she experienced. (you know what I'm talking about here so I won't elaborate) And then she mentioned that she told her friend that her brother died and she did get to see those things. So the conversation began....

We did the viewing the day before. He was wearing a favorite pair of pajamas and holding his blanket bonkie and his kitty. It was family only and you stayed with a sitter at home. Ahhhh.. she says. (So far so good.)

And then the next day, after the meal, you went home with so and so and that's when Mom and Dad and the family went to the burial. We didn't see him. Just the casket. The minister talked to us some, and then said a prayer. After we left, the people that work there got everything ready and did the burial. Ahhh... she says.

And then the tears came. She cried in her Daddy's arms. I sat across from her and buried my face in my hands and cried too. She and I both pulled it together as our food arrived and we enjoyed the rest of the meal. And then we headed out for a little bit of retail therapy. (this was planned before the discussion, btw) So new shoes, socks and shampoo in hand, we headed home.

She a little 'wiser' and all of us with heavy hearts.

because she inspired me

I read Donna's post this morning and it inspired me! I got out my WiiFit and gave it whirl. Right when we got it, we all took our turn on it everyday. And then life happened and it got pushed aside and you know what happened next. I haven't been on it in months.

I had been thinking I needed to do something. One of the first posts I ever did was about dieting and needing to lose weight. And I still do. As a matter of fact, I weighed 7.5 lbs more now than I did the last time I stepped on my WiiFit. ugh. Not to mention the things I can't even do anymore or worse yet.. my calculated 'age'. Double ugh. It's a discipline I've gotten out of the habit of and I need to get back into it again.

But not just the habit of stepping on the Fit. Discipline produces discipline. I know that since I worked up a sweat this morning and had to turn on my ceiling fan IN THE DEAD OF WINTER.. that I probably won't want to pig out at any point today. Isn't it cool how that works?! But not just for physical disciplines.. spiritual ones too. Everyone is making their resolutions of reading the Bible through or memorizing or whatever. And I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. It took me three years to read the Bible through. Some things I had read multiple times and other things not at all. So when I finally was able to cross off that last book, I was elated! God had taken me through the entire Bible.

I didn't know what my goals were going to be this year. I'd read a blog or two and come up with different ideas, but couldn't decide. Since I completed the Bible the first time, I had begun to be a willy nilly reader. And I had lost a lot of discipline in that area. And I had begun to rely on books rather than the Bible for a lot of my spiritual nourishment. (not that there is anything wrong with books, but they should supplement your diet... not be made up of it) I finally decided I would make a new 'list' and begin working my way through again. I am excited. I hope I make it through in less than three years. Whatever the length of time it takes me is ok. I know that He is filling me along the way. And I want reading and feasting on His word to be a pleasure, not a task to try to get done everyday.

So tomorrow, I hope to hop back on the WiiFit. And I also hope to spend even more time in God's word too.

a haiku for you **updated**

Boo is doing a poetry unit at school. It's a change of pace and something a little more fun and imaginative. Part of the unit includes haiku writing. So to let you know that we here at the 'Wall' house have a little culture and class.... I present to you an original haiku-

Haikus can be fun
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

Thank you..thankyouverymuch! She's a poet and she didn't even know it. Yeah I know.. I couldn't resist!

**updated**
So we found out that the haiku has to be about nature. Hmmm... How does this sound?

Haikus can be fun
But sometimes they don't make sense
Emperor penguins

Yeah.. I didn't think so either!

git'r done dinners

Some days getting dinner on the table is just a job. As much as we'd like to think otherwise, we just want to get it done.. or if you live in the south , git'r done! Some nights there may be time, energy and brain cells for fayn-cee meals. But then there are those other nights. I found these books at the book store and I love them for just that. One is called Desperation Dinners and the other one is called Cheap. Fast. Good. I think the titles say it all. These recipes are from scratch with healthy ingredients too. Yeah.. I know! They tell you step by step.. even from the frozen slab of meat.. to getting it on the table FAST. They also offer other tips along the way from getting the most from your warehouse style food store to whether fresh or from a jar crushed garlic is best for that particular recipe.

To see the website these two ladies have created, as well as pictures of their books, click here.

There are several recipes in these books that I love whether I'm in a hurry or not. Deee-lish. So if you're in a rush, check out one of these books. They work for me. Check out other tips at Rocks in My Dryer.

the bad, the good and finding joy in the midst of it

This time of year holds a lot of memories for me. This is the time we found out something was wrong with Bubba. It took us over a week to get a correct diagnosis. I don't remember exact dates on this, since it was sort of a blur. But it was very early January. These things are nightmarish to 'regular parents'.. parents that haven't had to sit down and hear 'the odds' and then have to learn a new normal that's utterly indescribable.. So! I won't go there. Suffice to say.. it's early January.

I was talking to a good friend of mine at church Sunday. It's 'been a year'. She and I were both praising God for His healing of her body. A year ago she almost died and hung by a thread for a bit. I sat in the waiting room with a little girl Boo's age and we didn't know what was going to happen to her mama. My friend. Thankfully, God healed her. And then continued to heal her. She was rejoicing Sunday that it indeed has been a year and she finally feels strong and can do things like walk to the back of a department store and was just praising God for it. That was a rough patch last January.

I am also currently in the midst of a very spiritual (although people tend not to see things in a spiritual light and 'blame it' on other things) struggle that I can't/won't be blogging about right now. I ended my day yesterday weighed down and exhausted. And then woke up in the night and couldn't go back to sleep. I took a nap this morning after I got everybody off for the day. And now I'm feeling much better.

I couldn't remember if I fed the cat early this morning and her bowl was nearly empty so I fed her... again? She's probably making out like a bandit today! A fat bandit, that is!

Interestingly Sunday morning there was discussion on finding joy. We watched a video and the speaker was describing a joyful moment he had with his daughter where she was just happy and reveling in that moment. And then urged 'us' listeners to look for moments to find joy. I can understand at some level what he is saying. And there are times I do that. It's a nothing day and rather than just be ho-hum, I chose to be happy and see the mundane as something delightful. But what if the things I see aren't mundane.. or happy in the least. Yesterday was such a day. By the end of it, I was bruised and beaten emotionally and spiritually and was crying out to God for comfort and contemplating joy as it had been presented to us in the video. Joy has to go beyond that. Joy has to be because of God and who He is rather than my ability to manufacture a nugget of happiness. Because sometimes life is not a season of happiness. But it can be a season of joy. Not by seeking 'it'.. but by seeking Him.

I was reading the Andrew Murray book in my sidebar today while mulling in my heart recent events in light of this 'challenge', if you will, to find joy. And found this:

Therefore, soul, only believe. Do not seek joy--in that case you will not find it, because you are seeking feeling. But seek Jesus, follow Jesus, believe in Jesus, and joy will be given to you. "...and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" 1 Peter 1:8

Only believing today.

a sneak peek

Here is a sneak peek of Little Miss Boo's room. I think it's going to turn out really cute.


Isn't the bedding great?! I love it. So does she. The paint is growing on me. I can go in there without squinting now! : ) Our new favorite word in her room is 'pop'. We've said this thing or that thing pops in front of the lime walls soo many times lately. Doesn't her pink lamp just pop now? (It did NOT pop in front of her bubble gum pink walls, btw.)

Like I said, I have a couple of do-it-myself projects I want to complete before we call her room 'done'. I'll try and show pics of those too.. especially if they turn out cute. I think they will. : )

site to store

I went this morning to pick up the bedding for my daughter's bedroom. Oh. My. Goodness. I think I am hearting site-to-store pick up at Walmart. It's a deal, lemme tell ya! I just walked in with my printed out email, they looked at my name and bar code and came back with my ADORABLE comforter set. I had read good reviews of it online and decided to try it. It is just precious and I know Boo's gonna love it. It totally changes the look of her room and really 'makes' it. The colors are so vivid. And I am seriously impressed with the polished chintzy cotton feel of the comforter. I have seen many along the search that cost much more but did not deliver the goods in the quality department.

Well... enough gushing. I need to go put her room together. There will be pictures soon. I have a couple of craft projects I want to complete before I declare it 'done' though. And a sewing project too. I need to make a window topper! Hopefully someday soon I can get it all done and post some pics!

cleaning house

I've been doing a lot of house cleaning. Lots of throwing away. Putting away the clutter. Giving things a way that we no longer need. And yesterday, I cleaned off enough dust to create a whole family of dust bunnies. Ick. No wonder my asthma was driving me batty.

Last night I was so tired, I could barely move. I had cleaned and scrubbed until I was sore all over. By 9pm it was Oh-vah for me. But I was so thankful. Not just for the clean-ER house, but to be so tired I couldn't do anything. That changes my frame of mind. It brings me to call out to God in a different way. A needy way. The way He wants us to call out to Him on a daily basis. But when I am up and going and doing, I feel self sufficient, although I know I'm not. I am needy all the time. That helpless all the time. And I need to call out to Him in that way all the time. (not just when I feeeel that way)

So I'm thankful for cleaning house. Not because it looks better, but because of what God was showing through it. I don't want to get to feeling so self sufficient that I miss out on all God wants to be and do and live out in the coming year.

it's quiet

School started again today. It's always a strange day. We've been up late alot. We've slept late. We haven't had much of a schedule and haven't done much that's productive.

And then... WHAMMO.. we've gotta get up and get going and try and remember just exactly what it is we usually do every day. After sitting on the side of the bed in the dark mumbling something about the fact that it is just. not. right. to be getting up at such a crazy hour... I got started with my day. And finally remembered what I'm supposed to do.

And now the house is quiet. It hasn't been quiet like this since the middle of December. I like it. lol I plan to linger in the quiet and enjoy it for a while. Sooner than I would like, the phone will ring or it will be time to go the grocery store (the list is already made) and it will be just another day.

cleaning out

This has been a very relaxed holiday in a lot of ways. We haven't had a schedule to keep to. We've stayed up way too late and gotten up way too late. Which for a short time, is so nice. And it's given us time to focus on other things.. things that get overlooked in the hustle of work/school days.

With all three of us home, we had time to tend to some things. We deep cleaned the Boo's room before we painted it. And were able to clean out and sort through and dust and rearrange and give away etc. It felt soo good. Every item of her bedding was deep cleaned. All her furniture was cleaned and dusted thoroughly. Even her window and blinds got the treatment. It's a very fresh start for her. Even she was excited about the changes.. and not just the color! Yay!

And we carried the cleaning out to the rest of the house. We had sooo many books and magazines etc just taking up valuable space and cluttering up our world. I was so glad to make stacks of things to get rid of. We took all of that to the book resale store today and made $14.. not a huge amount.. but hey.. that stuff's not in my way anymore.

One of the things I hope to do this year is buy less. I love to buy books and subscribe to magazines. And then I don't know what to do with them when I'm done. I feel like I have to hang onto them because I PAID FOR them, so I keep them and they just lay there in the way all the time. I've been trying to rediscover the library when I get a hankering for a book. My only problem is I tend to take forever to read one. But anyway, I hope to buy less this year. And have less clutter to move around later.

But for now, I'm just enjoying being able to put the things I DO want away.. and not stacked all over the place. Now that I have all these cleaned off surfaces, I need to dust!